Engine-starting mechanism



Aug. 5, 1930. R. P. LANSING ENGINE STARTING MECHAN ISM Filed Oct. 12, 1928 3nuent9r attorney Patented Aug. 1930 UN TED sTA EsjPATENT OFFICE RAYMOND P. LANSING, 0F MONTCLAIB, NEW .TERSEY, ASSIGNOB 'J.'O COMPANY, OF ELMIRA HEIGHTS, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK ENGINE-STARTING Application filed October 12, 1928. Serial No. 812,162.

This invention relates to starting mechanism for internal combustion engines and more particularly to engine starters of the inertia type.

An object of the present invention is to provide an inertia, starter of the concentric type embodying novel actuating means operable at a point in the rear of and at a distance from the starter. For example, when the starter is applied to an aeroplane engine said means are adapted to be actuated from the cock pit of the aeroplane.

Another object is to provide novel means for operatively connecting the starter to the engine whereby the energy stored in the flywheel of the starter is rendered effective to start the engine.

A further object is to rovide novel crankiiPg and meshing means or an engine starter, said means being so constituted that the meshing mechanism cannot be actuated durin the cranking operation.

no embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein like reference characters refer'to li e parts throughout the various views. It is to be expressly understood, however, that the drawings are for purposes of illustration only and are not to be construed as a definition of the limits of the invention, reference being had for this purpose to the appended claims.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal, axial sectional view illustrating one embodiment of the present invention;

a Fig. 2 is an enlarged detailed perspective of one form of cranking and meshing mechanism which may be employed in accordance with the invention; and

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a portion of the meshing apparatus shown in Figs.

1 and 2.

The novel cranking and meshing mechanism of the present invention is illustrated in combination with an inertia starter which, in the form shown, comprises a cylindrical housing constituted by an'inner section 4 and an outer section 5. The inner section of the I hou'singis adapted to be secured to an internal combustion engine, a portion of the crank case of the latter being diagrammatically illustrated at 6, and for this purpose is provided with a flange 7 having suitable openings 8 to receive bolts 9 for mounting the starter inoperative position. The outer sec n tion 5 is secured by means of bolts 10 to the, inner housing section, the bolts passing through openings in suitable flan es or lugs provided on theadjacent ends 0 said sec-\ tions.

a \co A diaphragm 11 is clamped between the wheel as by means of a flange 17 and a nut 18, provided with a lock washer, that is threaded onto the outer end of said shaft and abuts against the outer face of the flywheel. A retaining disc 19 which is secured to boss 12 by screws 20 is provided for bearings 13 and the bearings are maintained in spaced relation in boss 12 by means of a ring 21 which surrounds hub 14*, and engages adjacent faces of the inner races of said ball bearin s.

eans are provided for rotating theflywheel at high s eed whereby energy may be stored therein or starting the engine. As shown, the inner end of the hollow shaft 16 is provided with a pinion 22 that meshes with a spur gear 23 drivably connected in any suitable manner to a stub shaft 24 that is rotatably mounted by means of a bushing 25 in diaphragm- 12. The outer end of shaft 24 carries a nut 26 to prevent longitudinal movement of said shaft relative to the diaphragm. Formed integrally, or otherwise suitably attached, to the inner end of shaft'24 closely adjacent gear 23 isa pinion 27 which meshes integrally with a pimon 29 constituting a sun gear for a plurali of planetary gears, one of which is shown in cross section at 30.

with an internal spur ear 28 that is formed Each of the planetary gears is rotatably barml is imparted to the planetary gears 30, mounted on a screw 31 that is threaded into sun" gear 29, spur; gear 28, pinion 27, spur the outer face of a disc 32 secured by screws gear 23, pinion 22, and thence to the flywheel 33 to the outer end of a cylindrical member 4. Due to the step-up train of gearing em- 34 which is rotatably mounted in housing secployed, the flywheel is rotated'at a very high tion 4 closely adjacent the plane of flange 7. rate of speed whereby energy is stored there- Each of the screws 31 carries a sleeve 35 in for cranking the engine.

which extends into a recess in the outer face Means are rovided for imparting the .of disc '3 andsurrounding each sleeve .is a energy, stored 1n the flywheel to the engine,

bushing 36 for the associated planetary gear. whereby the latter is started. For this pur- In the form shown, three planetary gears are ost there isgprovided a clutch jaw 54 that is preferably employed and the three screws 31 rivably connected to the en ine crank shaft carry on their outer ends aring 37 for main-. 5 5, or an extension thereo which jaw is taining the sleeves, bushings and gears in adaptedtmbe engaged by a similar jaw 56 operative relation. An internal spur gear 38 adapted to be driven by the flywheel. Noris secured to housing section 4, by means of 'mally, jaw' 56 is maintained -out of driving .screws 39, in a position to surround and engagement with jaw 54 by means to be demesh with the planetary gears 30. scribed more fully hereafter;

Drivably connected in any suitable manner If the ener of the rapidly rotating flyto the ceintei' of disc 32 is a hollow cranking wheel be app 'ed to the engine crank shaft shaft that i preferably formed of a pluthrough rigidconnections, damage to the rality of sec ions. The inner section 40 of starter j parts would result. Accordingly,

said shaft constitutes a bearing member for yielding. means are provided intermediate the sun gear 29 and internal spur gear 28, the barrel 32, 34 and the jaw member 56 a the latter being mounted onsaid section 40 whereby slippage may occur between said closely adjacent disc 32 -The intermediate 'aw member and the barrel when the two portion of section 40 extends freely through jaws are drivingly engaged and until the hollow shaft16 and carries on its outer end engine crank shaft has been brought up to a sleeve 41 thatis rotatably supported as by the speed of jaw 56."

means of aball bearing 42in aboss 43 formed In the form shown the yielding means is 5. The inner end of sleeve 41 is of reduced tiple. disc type comprising a plurality of 95.. centrally in theend wall of housing section constituted by a friction clutch of the mul-- diameter and is threaded to receive a nut 44 annular discs 57 positiond within cylindrical which constitutes a retainer for the inner member 34, a number of said discs being race of the ball bearing 42. Aretainer disc splined on their outer peripheries to the in- 45 which is secured to the outer end of boss ner surface of member 34, and in interleav- 43 by. screws ing 42. ares 'linedon their inner peripheries to an Sleeve 41 is interiorly splined to receive the intenorly threaded nut or sleeve 58. The splined end of the outer or cock pit section outer end of the, latter is provided with a 4 ofthe cranking shaft whereby sections of flange 59 and .intermediate said flange and the cranking shaft may be readily disassemthe adjacent clutch disc is a thrust ring 60. bled and yet are drivably connected. The Member 34 is provided with an inwardly ex- 46 is also provided for bear- 7 ing relation with the remaining discs which outer end of section 47 is rotatabl'y supported tending flange 61 and intermediate the latter by means of a flanged bearing member 48 seand the adjacent clutch disc is a thrust ring cured to the instrument board 49 or other 62. Bearing against the inner face of flange ovement of section 47 inr'ality of coil springs. 64 which are disposed wardly relative to sleeve 41 is prevented by substantially parallel to sleeve 58 and are means of alock ring 50 carried by said secmaintained in proper spaced relation by tion in a position to engage the outer end of means of ins 65 that extend within the bearing member 48, and movement of said springs are rigidly attached to a ring 66 section outwardly, relative to sleeve 41, may which freel surround theinner end of sleeve be prevented by means of a nut 51 threaded '58. An ad justing nut 67 is threaded onto on the section in a fposition to eng ge the in the outer end. of sleeve 58 for engagement nerg-face or end o bearing member 48. A with ring 66. 1

pair ,of diametrically disposed pins 52 project'iradially from the outer end of cranking tiv'e to sleeve 58 the compression of springs By adjusting the position of nut 67 rela-- no a suitable support 1s irovided in the cock pit of 61 is a washer 63 that is engaged by a pluthe aeroplane.

shaft" section 47 to .receive a handcrank'53 64 isvaried and thefrictional engagement of which is removed and stowed away when the the clutch discs is accordingly varied by starter is not being actuated. v y flange 59and thrust ring 60 which tend to Rotation of the hand crank is efiective force said discs more closely into engagement through section 47, sleeve41, and section 40' with thrust ring 62 and flange 61 of, the barto rotate the barrel const" ted by cylindrical rel. Positioned within sleeve 58 and adaptmember 34 and disc 32. rotation of the ed for longitudinal and rotary motion relative thereto is a threaded shaft 68 which car- 56 of clutch jaw 56. Shaft68 is adapted for rota and longitudinal movement to the left relative tosleeve 58 until nut 69 engages shoulder7 0 and thereafter the sleeve, shaft and jaw member 56 rotate in unison and transmit torque from the clutch to the jaw member 54 on the engine crank shaft.

Seepage of oil from the engine crank case into the starter housing impairs the operation of the starter. Accordingly, oil sealing means are provided for the engine end of the starter comprisin a cup-shaped member 72 which is prefera ly formed of light metal and is provided with a flange 73 that is bent around the periphery of flange 7, the flange 73 being clamped between the engine crank case and flan e 7 by means of the bolts 9. Member 72 is ent inwardly at 74 to provide an annular shoulder and the inner end of said member is curved as at 75 to form a flan e which surrounds jaw member 56 when the atter is in demeshed position. Attached to the inner face of shoulder 74 is-an annular flexible washer 76 that is preferabl formed of leather, the washer being secure in position by means of a ring 77 and a plurality of rivets 78 which extend through said ring, washer and shoulder. Interposed between washer 76 and the adjacent inner end of sleeve 58 is a metal rin 79, and shoulder 74 is so positioned that r ng 79 holds washer 7 6 flexed inwardly into close. engagement with the adjacent face of jaw member 56. The inner periphery of the washer 76 bears against the outer surface of hub portion 56. Means are provided for moving jaw 56 into driving engagement with jaw 54 after suflicientenergy has been stored in the flywheel 14 to start the engine. For this purpose there is provided a concentrically disposed rod 80 which slidably extends through aw 56, threaded shaft 68 and cranking shaft section 40. Intermediate its ends rod 80 is provided witha shoulder 81 which normall ears against the outer end of threaded sha t 68. The inner end of rod 80 extends loosely through a central opening in jaw 56 and threaded onto said inner end is a nut 82 which abuts against the inner face of the hub of said jaw. Interposed between threaded shaft 68,.and the hub of jaw 56 is a coil spring 83 which surrounds rod 80 and bears at its inner end against a pair of washers 84, the inner one of which is preferably formed of some flexible material such as leather. Spring 83 yieldingly resists movement of jaw 56 toward shaft 68, and washers 84 coact with washer 76 to prevent see age ofoil from the engine crank case into t b starter housing.

The outer end of rod 80 preferably terminates at a point slightly beyond the outer end of sleeve 41 and is provided with a collar or flange'85 which constitutes an abutment for one end of a coil spring 86 that surrounds rod 80 within sleeve 41, the inner end of saidv spring bearing against the outer end .of cranklng shaft section 40.

A sleeve or connecting member 87 is pinned to the outer end of rod .80 and is of such size as to be freel movable within cranking rod section 47. rod 88 is pinned at its inner .end to the outer end of sleeve 87 and is of such length as to terminate at a point slightly beyond the outer end of cranking shaft section 47, said outer end being preferably provided with a removable button or head 89.

As shown, rod 88 is slidably supported-in the plane of pins 52 by a bushing 90 that is fitted into the outer end of the cranking shaft.

When it is desired to start the engine, the hand crank 53 is engaged with the cockpit end of the cranking shaft by means of pins 52. When so engaged, button 89 extends freely within a recess 53 provided in said hand crank. Rotation of the crank is effective through the cranking shaft 40, 41, 47 and the train of gearing torotate the flywheel. The elements within drum 34 including threaded shaft 68 and clutch jaw 56, rotate in unison with the barrel, said jaw being held out of drivingengagement with jaw 54 by spring 86 and rod 80. After suflicient energy has been stored in the'flywheel the hand crank 53 is disengaged from the cranking shaft and the operator forces rod 80, 88 inwardly against the tension of spring 86 by pressing on the button 89. Shoulder 81 is effective to move threaded shaft 68 to the left and the latter acts through spring 83 to move jaw 56 into full meshing engagement with jaw 54 whereupon starting torque is transmitted to the engine crank shaft. The

multiple disc clutch constitutes a yielding driving connection between the flywheel and the engine crank shaft whereb the latter is gradually brought'up to spec After the engine starts under its own power the speed of rotation of jaw'54 becomes greater than the speed of jaw 56 and are now efl'ective to force jaw 55 to the right ,out of driving engagement with the engine jaw. When the operator releases button 89, spring 86 is effective to returnrod 80, 88 to normal position whereby jaw 56 is positively held out of driving engagement with jaw 54.

Accidental starting of the engine-is thereby 115 the inclined faces of the teeth of said jaws There is thus providedinovel engine starting means, said means being adapted for actuation" from the cockpit of an aeroplane.-

The cranking shaft and the meshing rod are formed in sections whereby the starter may be readily removed from the engine without dismounting the portions of said shaft and rod which are mounted in and extend into the cockpit.

While the invention has been illustrated and. described in connection 'with inertia.

starters only, it is to be expressly understood Y that the same is not limited to this type of starters, and reference will therefore be had to the appended claims for a definition of the limits of the invention.

' What is claimed is:

1. In an engine starter of the type embodying a flywheel adapted to drive a member that is movable into engagement with a member of the engine to be started, acranking shaft concentrically disposed with respect to the flywheel and having one end thereof projecting from said flywheel, and a rod for actuating said movablemember, said rod being movable within said crankin shaft and having one end projecting beyon the end of said cranking shaft. I

2. In an engine starter of the type embodying a flywheel adapted to drive a member w 'ch is movable into engagement with av m ber of the engine to be started, a hous-- ing for said starter, a crankin shaft extending freely through said flyw eel and housing for manually rotating said flywheel, and a meshing rod slidably'mounted within said cranking shaft and having one end thereof 2' from said housing,

projecting from said shaft for manually moving said movable member into engagement with the engine member.

3. A flywheel starter for aeroplane engines of "the type embodying a clutch member adapted for engagement with but normally discngagedfrom a'member of the engine to be started, a housing for said starter, a

cranking shaft for rotating said flywheel,

said cranking shaft projecting through said housing, means in the aeroplane cockpit for rotatably supgor'ting the outer end of said cranking sha and a meshing rod for said clutch member slidably mounted in said cranking shaft and having one end thereof projecting from the end of the cranking shaft to render said meshing rod accessible for direct manual operation.

4:. In an engine starter of the type embodying a flywheel ada ted to drive a clutch member that is movab e into engagement with a member 'of the engine to be started, a housing for said starter, a hollow cranking shaft rotatably'supported insaid housing and having one end thereof projecting rearwardly a meshing rod for said .low member drivablyconnected to said bustion engines, a meshing rod adapted to be clutch member slidably mounted in said cranking shaft and havin one end thereof projecting from said cra 'ng shaft to render the same accessible for direct manual operation, a hand crank removabl secured to the outer end of said cranking shaft, the ex tending end of said meshing rod projecting into a recess in said cranking shaft to render said rod inaccessible for operation during the actuation of said cranking shaft.

5. In an engine starter of the type embodying a flywheel adapted to drive a clutch member that is movable'into engagement with a member of the engine tobe started, a housing for said starter, a hollow cranking shaft concentrically mounted in said starter and having one end thereof projecting from said housing, a sleeve surroundin said cranking shaft and drivably connecte thereto, a hol as sleeve, a hand crank removably securedtoj said hollow member, a meshing rod slidably disposed in said cranking shaft and hollowmember, and resilient means for normally maintaining said meshing rod in a position such that one end thereof projects a predetermined distance from the outer end of said hollow member.

v 6. In an engine starter of the type embodying a flywheel adapted to drive a clutch member that is movable into engagement with a member of the engine to be started, a housing for said starter, a cranking shaft concentrlcally disposed with respect to said flywheel and having one end thereof projecting 1 0 through said housing, a hand crank removably secured to the outer end of said cranking shaft, a meshing rod for said clutch-member slidably mounted within said cranking shaft, said meshin rod having a shoulder formed thereon, and resilient means having engagement with said shoulder for normally main-' taining said meshing-rod in a predeterminedposltion. v

7. In an inertia starter for internal commanually operated, said rod being concentrically disposed relative to the starter and projecting therefrom, and a housing for the outer portion of said rod, said housing constituting a cranking shaft having a length less than the length of the rod.

8. In an inertia starter for internal combustion engines, ahollow cranking shaft, a'

meshing rod movably mounted therein, means for yieldingly maintaining said rod in a predetermined position relative to said shaft, and means for rendering said rod inaccessible durmlg the cranking operation.

9. n an inertia starter for internal combustion engines, a hollow cranking shaft constltuted by a plurality of drivably and detach- 1 ably connected sections, means havin a recess therein for rotatingsaid shaft, said means being detachably connected to the shaft, 11

meshing rod constituted by a plurality of 7 sections slidably mounted in said rod, one end of the rod projecting from said shaft into said recess, and means for rotatably mounting said shaft, v

10. In an inertia starter for internal combustion engines of the type embodying acylindrical housing constituted by inner" and outer sections, a hollow cranking shaft 10 formed in sections the inner section of the shaft being rotatably mounted adjacent its opposite ends in the mnerand outer housing sections and having one end projecting from v said outer housing section, means detachably connected to the outer section of the cranking shaft for actuating the same, and a meshing rod slidably mounted in said shaft and having the outer end thereof projecting into said means.

11. In an internal combustion engine starter of the inertia type, a cranking shaft, a hand crank, pins earned by said shaft for drivably connectin the hand crank to the shaft, a meshing ro slidably mounted to said shaft, a d a bushing positioned within the shaft in the plane of said pins for supporting the outer end of said rod. I 12. In an en 'ne starter of the type embodying a mem er movable into drivlng engagement with a memberof the engine to be started, a crankin shaft, a rod slidably mounted in the cran ing shaft and adapted to actuate said movable member, and a removable hand crank for actuating said crankin 5 shaft, the engagement of the hand crank wit the cranking shaft rendering said rod inaccessible.

13 In a starter for internal combustion engines, a member movable into engagement 40 with a member of the en 'ne to be started,

a cranking shaft operative y connected to said movable member, means including a rod for moving said first named member into engagement with the engine member, said rod being mounted within said cranking shaft and having one endthereof projecting from the shaft,

. and a hand crank removably connected to the cranking shaft at the end of the latter from which said rod projects, the engagement of ,50 the hand crank with said cranking shaft rendering the rod inaccessible for actuation.

14. In an engine starter of the type embodying a cranking shaft, means for drivably connectin the starter with a member of'the engine to e started, said means including a rod movably mounted in the cranking shaft, and a crankin member removably connected to said shaft or actuating the latter, the engagement of the cranking member with said so shaft rendering the rod inaccessible for actuation. Y

In testimony whereof I'have signed this specification. I j RAYMOND P. LANSING. 

